Weft-replenishing loom



Dec. 30, 1930. v. H. JENNINGS WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 22, 1928 [ire/liar Mam" b. d m E6 Dec. 30, 1930.

V H. JENNINGS WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM Filed Nov. 22, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 lill' i.

firm/250w Mam/ 11 M 5 Dec. 30, 1930.

y. H JENNINGS WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM 6 Shets-Sheet Filed Nov. 22, 1928 fimmar Mcfo 17 J m/)7 J Patented Dec. 3Q, 1939 S TATES VICTOR I-I. JENNINGS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMPTON &

KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS WEFT-REPLENISHING LOOM Application filed November 22, 1928.

This invention relates to a loom in which ished upon substantial exhaustion of the weft thereon. Y

It is the general object of my invent on to improve the construction and operation of the mechanism by which the weft carriers of such a loom are automatically transferred and threaded in the running shuttle.

A further object is to provide means for threading the shuttle immediately after weft replenishment, and during the first flight of the shuttle. I also provide means for severing the outgoing weft end in such relation to the shuttle that the trailing weft end of the ejected weft carrier may be very readily withdrawn from the shuttle.

My invention further relates to, arrangements and combinationslof parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved weft replenishing mechanism;

F 2 is a left hand side elevation thereof, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Figs. 1 and 3;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of my improved replenishing mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a right hand side elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow 4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is detail sectional plan view, taken along the line 55 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a thr ad cutter to be used in combination with my improved weft replenishing mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a detail view showing parts of the thred cutter in a different position, and

Figs. 8 to 18 inclusive are diagrammatic views to be described and illustrating the operation of my improved weft replenishing mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, I have indicated a portion of a loom frame 20 having a maga- Serial No. 321,203.

zine M mounted thereon and projecting outward therefrom the magazine being supported in part by brace members 21 and 22 (Fig.

Magazine construction The magazine M comprises an outer frame member or head 24 and an inner or tip-supporting member 25 (Fig. 1) secured in spaced relation by a plurality of tie-rods 26. The members 24 and 25 have the usual vertically extending guideways 27 and 28, forming vertical compartments for the weft carriers or bobbins B.

It will be noted that my improved magazine differs from the usual commercial multicolor magazine by supporting the bobbins with their tips projecting toward the adjacent selvage of the cloth. The shuttle S used with my improved mechanism likewise has its threading eye 80 disposed at the inner end of the shuttle when the shuttle is in the box 32 V underneath the magazine M.

The weft ends WV are drawn out from the weft carriers in the magazine through vertically extending slots 34 in the frame member 25, and are attachedto the upwardly projecting end of an end holder 37 (Fig. 2), secured at 38 to the loom frame 20 and proj ecting rearwardly above the lay 40. The end holder may be of light construction and is commonly formed from a piece of wire or small rod, as indicated in the drawings.

The bobbins B are supported in the usual cradles 42 having projections 43 (Fig. 4) 8X- tending into L-shaped slots 44 at the lower end of vertically sliding bars 45. The bars 45 have upper and lower projections 46 and 47 (Fig. 3) engaged by fingers 48 formed on a color shaft 49. j

The color shaft 49 (Fig. 1) is slidable axially and'is provided with a collar 50, grooved to receive a stud-in the upper end of a bell crank 51, connected by a chain 52to the usual box motion of the loom, not shown.

The color shaft 49 (Fig. 1) also has an arm 53 secured thereto, with an offset flange portion 54 extending parallel to the shaft 49 but spaced. therefrom.

The flange portion 5% is slidable in a notch or recess 55 formed in the upper side of a lever 56 loosely pivoted on the color shaft 49 and connected by a depending link 57 (Fig. 3) to an actuating lever 58, commonly termed the chopper, a stud 59 forming the pivotal connection for said lever.

A slide 60 (Fig. 3) is mounted for vertical reciprocation in a hearing or guideway 61 and is pivotally connected at its upper end by a stud 62 to an intermediate point on the lever 58. The lower end of the slide 60 is connected by a rock arm 63 and link 6% to a cam lever 65 (Fig. 2) having a cam roll 66 positioned in a. cam groove 67, in the side of a cam 68. The cam 68 is mounted on the usual bottom or cam shaft 69 of the loom and is rotatable therewith.

By the connections described, the slide 60 is given regularly repeated vertical reciprocations. So long however, as the lever 58 is free to swing about its pivot 59, no result is effected by the reciprocation of the slide 60.

A latch 70 (Fig. is mounted adjacent the free end of the lever 58 and is normally in the inoperative position shown in Fig. 3. The latch 70 is controlled by a- Weft detector or feeler 71 (Fig. 4), the details of which form no part of my invention but which may be of the general type shown in the prior applr'ation of O. V. Payne, Serial No. 200,481, filed June 21, 1927. For the purposes of this application it is suflicient to state that upon substantial exhaustion of weft in the running shuttle, the latch 70 will be swung to the right as viewed in Fig. 8 into the path of the swinging end of the lever 58.

Upon the next downward movement of the slide 60, the lever 58 will pivot about its engagement with the latch 70 and will depress the link 57, which in turn swings the lever 56 downward and moves one of the slide bars 45 upward to rock the corresponding cradle 42 and release a bobbin B corresponding to the substantially exhausted bobbin in the running shuttle.

A transferrer 75 (Fig. 2) is pivoted at 76 in the frame of the magazine M and is provided with a depending arm 77 to which a latch 78 is pivotally connected. The latch 78 rests on an ofiset portion '79 (Fig. of a depending rod 80, pivoted at 81 to a rock arm 82. The arm 82 is mounted on a fixed pivot 83 and has a pin and slot connection 84 to a second rock arm mounted on a rock shaft 86. A tension spring 87 8) connects the stud or pivot 81 to a stud 88 in the arm 85, said spring acting to yieldingly hold the parts with the link in either raised or lowered position.

A plunger 90 (Fig. 3) is slidably mounted below the lever 56, and a spring 91 forces the plunger yieldingly against a portion of the frame member 24-. The plunger 90 and spring 91 tend to restore the levers 56 and 58 to their normal raised position after depression by an operative movement of the slide bar 60. Such upward movement completes the release of the indicated weft carrier or bobbin B from its cradle 42, if there has been no change in the running shuttle and no corresponding shift of the color shaft 49 between the two movements of the slide bar 45.

As the selected slide bar 45 is thus moved downward, a latch 92 (Fig. 4) at the upper end thereof engages a bar 93 (Fig. 1) secured on the rock shaft 86 and raises the link 80, moving the latch 7 8 (Fig. 2) to raised position in the path of a hunter 95 fixed on the front side of the lay 40. As the lay moves forward, the hunter engages the latch and rocks the transferrer 75 about its pivot 76, depressing the transferrer and causing the same to drive the fresh Weft carrier down ward into the shuttle, at the same time ejecting the exhausted weft carrier therefron'i.

The magazine mechanism thus far described is in general operation similar to a.

well known commercial type of magazine and for a more complete description thereof, reference 1S made to the prior patent to E. H. Ryon, No. 1,030,748, issued June 25, 1912.

Shuttle threading mechanism.

As previously stated, the weft ends N extend from the weft carriers B in the magazine through the slots 34 (Fig. 2) to the end holder 87, where they are held in raised position, as indicated in Fig. 3, the weft ends extending from the tips of the weft carriers toward the selvage of the cloth.

hen a weft carrier is transferred. it is desirable that the shuttle should be fully threaded before it enters the cloth or at least during its inital flight to the non-replenishing side of the loom. Accordingly, I have provided means for presenting the weft end. of the transferred weft carrier in such a position that it will enter the shuttle eye and. be threaded therein as the shuttle begins its first flight after transfer.

For this purpose I provide a thread-positioning member (F' forked at its lower end as indicated and connected dotted lines in Fig. 3. At its upper end, the

thread positioning member is pivoted at 106 (Fig. 3) to the end of a lever 107, which in turn is pivoted at 108 to the magazine frame member 24. A spring 109 (Fig. 3) normally holds the lever 107 and member 100 in raised position.

A link 110 (Fig. 9) is pivoted at its lower end to the transferrer 75 and is slotted at its upper end, as indicated at 111, to receive a stud or screw 112 on the lever 107.

During the first part of the downward movement of the transferrer 75, the lost motion connection permits the lever 107 and thread positioning member 100 to remain in initial position, but during the last part of the downward movement of the transferrer the member 100 is moved with a rapid motion from the inoperative position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to the dotted line position in said figure. V

A friction latch 115 (Fig.2) is pivoted at 116 on the magazine frame member 25 and is held against a stop 117 by a spring 118. The ends of the latch 115 are beveled so that the lever 107 may be yieldingly engaged by said latch when the lever reaches its lowest position, indicated in Figs. 3, 9 and 12. The lever 107 remains downward during the first part of the upward movement of the transferrer 75, but is restored to initial position during the latter part of such upward movement.

' Thread cutting and resetting mechanism It is essential that the weft end of the ejected weft carrier should be severed before the carrier is ejected, and for this purpose I provide a thread cutter frame 120 (Figs. 6 and 7) pivoted on a rock shaft 121 mounted in hearings in the magazine frame. The thread cutter also comprises a cutting blade 122 fixed in the thread cutter frame 120 and a cutting and clamping blade 123 movably mounted on said thread cutter frame 120.

The blade 123 is provided with an arm 124 connected by a link 125 to a stud 126 (Fig. 3) fixed in the loom frame 20.

An arm 127 (Fig. 1) on the outer end of the rock shaft 121 is connected by a link 128 to an arm 129.1nounted on the rock shaft 86 previously described. As the shaft 86 is rocked to raise the latch 78, the thread cutter is depressed and such downward movement automatically opens the thread-cutting jaws to the position shown in F 6, through the operation of the link 125.

As the lay 10 thereafter moves forward, the outgoing weft is caught between the cutter blades 122 and 123, and as the lay continues to move forward the cutter frame 120 is engaged by the back side of the shuttle box 32 and is swung upward to the position shown in Fig. 7 severing the outgoing weft thread and holding the portion V1 thereof, which em tends from the thread cutter to the selvage, as clearly indicated in Fig. 18. This upward movement of the thread cutter by the back wall of the shuttle box also rocks the shaft 121 and the shaft 86 connected thereto, thus depressing the latch supporting link 80 and resetting the parts in normal running position.

The details of construction of the thread cutter above described forms the subject matter of the prior patent of A. J. Chevrette, N o.

1,662,235, issued March 13, 1928, to which reference is made for a more detailed descrip tion thereof.

Operation Having described the details of construction of my improved weft replenishing mechanism, I will now describe the method of operation and the advantages thereof, referring particularly to Figs. 8 to 18.

In Figs.- 8 and 10 the parts are shown in normal running position, with the weft carrier B held in guideways in the magazine frame members 2 1 and 25, and with the thread positioning member 100 folded back in raised position against themember 25, and with the weft ends W supported by the end holder 37. Upon indication of transfer a bobbin B is released and moves downward to central. or transfer position, so that the weft end thereof is substantially beneath the forked end 101 of the thread positioning member 100.

As the transferrer 75 then moves downward, as indicated in Fig. 9, the fresh weft carrier is transferred to the shuttle S and during the latter part of the downward movement of the-transferrer, the lever 107 is depressed, swinging the member 100 outward and forward to the position indicated 'in Figs. 9 and 11. In this position the weft end WV extends downward around the outwardly projected and depressed forked lower end of the member 100, so that a portion of the weft end W lies over and upon the adjacent end of the shuttle S.

As the lay 40 begins its rearward movement, as indicated in Figs. 12 and 13, the weft end W is drawn under the upper threading plate of the shuttle S and into the threading slot 130 thereof. At the same time the transferrer 75 begins its upward movement, but the lost motion connection to the lever 107 permits the lever to be held downward by the friction latch 115 during the 0 initial upward'movement of the transferrer.

The transferrer 75 continues to move upward, as indicated in Fig. 1 1, and the thread positioning member 100 begins its upward j movement just as the shuttle S starts to leave the shuttle box, the weft thread W being now definitely inserted in the slot 130.

In Fig. 15 I have indicated the transferrer 75 as having reached its normal upper position and the thread positioning member as being returned to its inoperative position while the shuttle S is in flight As the shuttle passes under the end holder 37, the weft end V is drawn rearward ':.to the shuttle eye 131 (Fig. 15) and the threading of the shuttle is thus completed during the first flight of the shuttle after weft replenishment.

As the shuttle passes under the thread cutter, the weft end XV, still attached to the end holder 87, is drawn under the curved portion 132 (Figs. 6 and 7) of the thread cutter frame and is thus held rearward of the end holder 37 and in more direct line with the flight of the shuttle.

An incidental advantage in my construction lies in the fact that the slide bars 4:5 and color shaft 49 are beyond the path of the weft carriers in the running shuttles, so that no oil used in lubricating said parts can drop on the weft carriers.

Having thus described the operation of my improved weft replenishing n'iechanisin, itwill be seen that I have provided a construction by which the outgoing weft end may be severed and drawn outward with the ejected bobbin through the shuttle eye which is closely adjacent to the thread cutter and that there is no possibility of the thread being caught between the shuttle and the front binder (Fig. 1). V

I have also provided means for depressing and positioning the weft end of the fresh weft carrier so that it will be accurately and completely threaded during the initial move ment of the shuttle on its first flight from transfer position. This is a matter of very considerable importance in the operation of silk'or rayon looms, in which the tension on the weft thread must be kept as uniform as possible and in which an initial flight of the shuttle before the weft is completely threaded has been found objectionable on account of the reduced tension .on the weft during such initial flight.

Having set forth my invention and the advantages thereof in full, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing loom, a shuttle having a self-threading eye disposed at the end of the shuttle toward the adjacent cloth selvage when the shuttle is at the magazine side of the loom, a, lay, weft .er magazine, means to transfer a selected weft carrier from said magazine to a shuttle on said lay, and automatic means to completely thread the replenished shuttle before said shuttle completes its initial flight after weft replenishment.

2. In a weft replenishing loom, a shuttle, a lay, a weft carrier magazine, means to tra fer a selected weft carrier from said magazine to a shuttle on saidlay,and automatic means to completely thread the replenished shuttle before said shuttle completes its initial flight after weft replenishment, said automatic means includin a movable thread placer operable upon welt carrier transfer to engage the weft end of the fresh carrier between the point of the shuttle and the adjacent cloth selvage and to depress said weft end to threading position.

3. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 2, in which the thread placer is operable in timed relation to said transfer means.

4. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 2, in which the thread placer has a lost motion connection to said transfer means.

5. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 2, in which the thread placer is linkconnected to said magazine and is swung outward and downward therefrom by said transfer means upon weft replenishment.

6. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 2, in which the thread placer is link-connected to said magazine and is swung outward, downward and forward therefrom by 'd transfer means upon weft replenishment. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 2, in which the thread placer is operatively connected to said transfer means by devices through which said thread placer is given a, delayed movement with respect to the movement of said transfer means.

8. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 2, in which the thread placer is linkconnected to said magazine and has a lost motion connection to said transfer means, whereby a delayed movement of said thread placer is attained.

9. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 2, in which the thread placer is operatively connected to said transfer means by devices through which slid thread placer is given a delayed movement with respect to the movement of said transfer means both to and from operative position.

10. In a weft replenishing loom, a shuttle, a lay, a weft carrier magazine in which weft carriers are disposed with their tips extending toward the adjacent cloth selvage, means to transfer a selected weft carrier from said magazine to a shuttle on said lay, said shuttle having its eye at the end toward the adjacent cloth selvage when at the magazine side of the loom, an end holder positioned between said magazine and the adjacent cloth selvage, and a device effective to engage and depress the weft end attached to said end holder between the shuttle tip near the adjacent selvage and said sclv g'e upon transfer of the corresponding weft carrier.

11. In a weft replenishing loom, a shuttle, a lay, a weft carrier magazine in which. weft carriers are disposed with their tips extending toward the adiacent cloth selvagge, means to transfer a selected weft carrier from said Lil 1 Lil) magazine to a shuttle on said lay, said shuttle having its eye at the end toward the adjacent cloth selvage when at the magazine side of the loom, an end holder positioned between said magazine and the adjacent cloth selvage, and a device effective to engage and depress the weft end attached to said end holder between the shuttle tip nearer the adjacent selvage and said selvage upon transfer of the corresponding weft carrier and to hold said weft end depressed until substantially the beginning of the flight of the shuttle.

12. In a weft replenishing loom, a shuttle, a lay, a weft carrier magazine, means to transfer a selected weft carrier from said magazine to a shuttle on said lay, an end holder positioned between said magazine and the adjacent cloth selvage, a thread placer, and means to cause said thread placer to engage the weft between the adjacent end of the shuttle and said end holder upon transfer of a weft carrier from said magazine, and to move the engaged portion of said weft to position for direct engagement by the advancing threading end of the shuttle as the initial flight of the shuttle begins.

13. In a weft replenishing loom, a shuttle having a threading slot and eye, a lay, a shuttle box thereon in which the shuttle is held with its threading eye toward the cloth selvage, a magazine adjacent said lay and shuttle box, means to transfer a weft carrier from said magazine to a shuttle in said box, means to insert the weft end of the fresh weft carrier in said threading slot before the initial flight of the shuttle begins, and means to retain said thread in said slot and to cause complete threading of the shuttle before the shuttle enters the cloth on its initial flight after weft replenishment.

14. In a weft replenishing loom, a multicolor magazine having a plurality of separate weft carrier compartments therein and having a common transfer position for said weft carriers, an end holder for said weft carriers positioned between said magazine and the adjacent cloth selvage, and a thread placer effective to engage the supported weft end of a weft carrier between the adjacent point of the shuttle and said end holder after release of said weft carrier to transfer position, but inoperative with respect to the weft ends of the weft carriers retained in said magazine compartments.

15. In a weft replenishing loom, having a shuttle box, a self-threading shuttle positioned in said box with its threading eye toward the adjacent cloth selvage, and means to hold the weft end between the shuttle eye and the selvage, a multi-color magazine mounted adjacent said shuttle box and having a plurality of separate weft carrier compartments therein in which weft carriers are supported with their tips toward the adjacent cloth selvage, devices for releasing weft carriers from said magazine compartments, and selective actuating means for said devices, said actuating means comprising vertically moving slide bars and an axially movable color shaft, all positioned beyond the travel of the weft carriers in the running shuttles and out of position for engagement by the weft end of a weft carrier transferred from said magazine to said shuttle.

16. In a weft replenishing loom, having a shuttle box, a self-threading shuttle positioned in said box with its threading eye toward the adjacent cloth selvage, and means to hold the weft end between the shuttle eye and the selvage, a multi-color magazine mounted adjacent said shuttle box and having a plurality of separate weft carrier compartments therein, in which weft carriers are supported with their tips toward the adjacent cloth selvage, devices for releasing weft carriers from said magazine compartments, and selective actuating means for said devices, said actuating means being positioned beyond the travel of the weft carriers in the running shuttles, and out of position for engagement by the weft end of a weft carrier transferred from said magazine to said shuttle.

17. In a weft replenishing loom, a magazine, an end holder positioned between the magazine and the cloth selvage, thread positioning means effective to engage and depress the weft end of a transferred weft carrier between the magazine and the end holder, and means effective to retain said depressed weft end substantially in the line of flight of the shuttle after said positioning means is withdrawn.

18. In a weft replenishing loom, a magazine, an end holder positioned between the magazine and the cloth selvage, thread positioning means effective to engage and depress the weft end of a transferred weft carrier between the magazine and the end holder, and thread cutting and clamping means effective to retain said depressed weft end substantially in the line of flight of the shuttle after said positioning means is withdrawn.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

VICTOR H. JENNINGS. 

